A fascinating exploration of the breadth of social, emotional, and spiritual experiences of atheists in America. Self-identified atheists make up roughly 5 percent of the American religious landscape, comprising a larger population than Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, Orthodox Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus combined. In spite of their relatively significant presence in society, atheists are one of the most stigmatized groups in the...

From the Publisher: When Americans today think of the Religious Society of Friends, better known as Quakers, they may picture the smiling figure on boxes of oatmeal. But since their arrival in the American colonies in the 1650s, Quakers' spiritual values and social habits have set them apart from other Americans. And their example-whether real or imagined-has served as a religious conscience for an expanding nation. Portrayals of Quakers-from dangerous...

This volume presents three centuries of US art through a broad array of historical texts, including writings by artists, critics, patrons, literary figures, and other commentators. Combining a wide-ranging selection of texts with high-quality reproductions of artworks, it offers a unique resource for the study and understanding of the visual arts of the United States. With contextual essays, explanatory headnotes, a chronology of historical landmarks,...

Film criticism is in crisis. Dwelling on the many film journalists made redundant at newspapers, magazines, and other 'old media' in past years, commentators have voiced existential questions about the purpose and worth of the profession in the age of WordPress blogospheres and proclaimed the 'death of the critic'. Bemoaning the current anarchy of internet amateurs and the lack of authoritative critics, many journalists and academics claim that in...

A comprehensive overview of recent research into the causes, prevalence, and prevention of childhood sexual abuse.

Gang activities have been reported since the late 18th century. Today, gangs are an issue in America more than in any other country. The definition of a gang continues to be revised and tailored, and the perennial questions of how best to deal with them is an ongoing issue.

Between 1898 and 1918, many American states introduced the initiative, referendum, and recall--known collectively as direct democracy. Most interpreters have seen the motives for these reform measures as purely political, but Thomas Goebel demonstrates that the call for direct democracy was deeply rooted in antimonopoly sentiment. Frustrated with the governmental corruption and favoritism that facilitated the rise of monopolies, advocates of direct...

"This volume examines the controversy surrounding the alternative and controversial religious movements sometimes referred to as cults. Featuring a chronology that documents the milestones in the evolution of alternative religions, this book also contains informative sketches of alternative religious groups in the United States today. Readers will find an overview that discusses the cult controversy; descriptions of important court cases, legislation,...